The amount of a payload that may be hauled in an off-highway truck is often limited by the requirement that the combined weight of the payload and truck not exceed an established maximum gross vehicular weight (GVW). The maximum GVW is a limit established based on such things as the power-train and the weight that can be carried by tires. Because off-highway trucks are manufactured from metals in order to be durable and robust, the trucks also are heavy. Any reduction in the truck's weight allows an operator to increase the payload weight by the same amount without exceeding the maximum GVW. To the operator, any increase in payload translates to an increase in productivity, resulting in higher profits. Further, a reduction of the weight of the truck lowers operating costs by reducing fuel consumption when the truck is not loaded and returning to the worksite.
In order to maximize the productivity of off-highway trucks, it is desirable to minimize a truck's weight in order to maximize the weight of a payload that may be safely carried or transported by the truck. One method for reducing the weight of an off-highway truck is to reduce the thickness of metal components to the minimum amount that will adequately perform the required functionality of the truck. For example, a payload container on an off-highway truck may be manufactured using metal plates with the minimum thickness required to support a payload. However, as the amount of metal utilized in the off-highway truck is decreased, the durability and life of the truck may be negatively affected. For example, the use of thin metal in a payload container can cause the metal to sag or to wear out quickly. Accordingly, there is an undesirable chance of deformation of the metal.
In order to preserve the strength and operability of a payload container formed of metal plates, supports may be provided on those plates. One example of such supporting structure is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,230,254 to Proeschl. The '254 patent discloses a modular truck body for a dump-truck. L-shaped ribs are secured to the undersides of the bottom and side sections of the modular truck body. In addition, two longitudinally extending and laterally spaced beams support the underside of the bottom section. Although the longitudinal beams and L-shaped ribs provide support for the truck body, the supports may still be improved upon to properly support a payload container having thin walls, while allowing the total weight of the supporting ribs and the truck body to be minimized.
The present disclosure is directed toward overcoming one or more of the deficiencies in the prior art.